Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27
न दुर्जनसमाकीर्णे न शूद्रश्वापदावृते । देशे न द्यूतसदने वदेत्पुण्यकथां सुधीः
na durjanasamākīrṇe na śūdraśvāpadāvṛte | deśe na dyūtasadane vadetpuṇyakathāṃ sudhīḥ
ദുർജനങ്ങൾ നിറഞ്ഞ സ്ഥലത്ത്, ശൂദ്രരും ക്രൂരമൃഗങ്ങളും വ്യാപിച്ച പ്രദേശത്ത്, കൂടാതെ ചൂതാട്ടശാലയിൽ—ബുദ്ധിമാൻ പുണ്യകഥ പറയരുത്.
Narratorial Purāṇic voice (context not explicit in the snippet)
Scene: Two contrasted spaces: a serene temple courtyard with lamps and seated listeners versus a noisy gambling house with dice, quarrels, and shadowy figures; the wise narrator chooses the former.
FAQs
The fruit of kathā depends on the sanctity of the setting; avoid places dominated by adharma and distraction.
No particular tīrtha is named; the verse contrasts unfit places with appropriate sacred venues.
A venue restriction: do not conduct Purāṇa-kathā in gambling houses or in places associated with adharma and danger.